Deep cell battery?

wa8yxm wrote:
There are both physical and chemical differences between DEEP CYCLE and Starting or dual purpose batteries.

The result is the recommended minimum SOC for Deep Cycle is 50 %
Where as for others it is 75 to 85%

Nope, for your typical 6V golf cart batteries, the chemistry is identical. The main difference is deep cycle have fewer but thicker plates.
- Thickness translates into greater overall storage.
- Less surface area means you can't pull that storage out as quickly (less CCA)...though no harm in using them as starting batteries.

Gel or AMG have some minor chemical differences but that is not about storage capability but the ability to turn them over without the acid leaking out, plus it gives them a bit more durability against physical damage in a high vibration use case.

"Deep Cycle" is a misused buzzword these days.

There is zero difference between today's "deep cycle" car batteries and regular starting batteries of 40-50 years ago. No information about plates per cell, just an offer of CCA or amp hours versus weight.

Higher the weight versus lower the CCA or amp hours suggests superior cyclability.

As mentioned before I had ABC battery in Los Angeles build a pallet's worth of 6 cell, 9-plate, wet, group 24 batteries. .090" plates, 5.0% antimony.

The reality turned out to be 260 CCA, 55 amps hours. You can't turn an Arabian into a plowing mule without suffering consequences.

The definition of "Deep Cycle" has been abused so badly it has lost it's meaning. Batteries for engine starting sacrifice everything else to gain CCA. A tiny group 34 that brags 825 CCA should never be cycled at all. A 10 second discharge at 225 amps is not considered to be a cycle.

My 1625 A/H 2-volt cells are 122 pounds heavier than today's 2200 A/H amp hour 2 volt cells. Choose (a) or (b) you can't have both.

Optima (Circular. actual spiral cell)( have less capacity and can be any kind of battery depending on the top color THey are AGM's and very expensive as well If you have a Wave runner or 4 runner slamming over logs and gullies or waves.. Great batteries do not forget your kidney support belt.. For an RV very bad choice.


The DC batteries CLAIM to br DEEP CYCLE no mention of starting I have yet to find one in the store. Catalog yes. Store no.

http://m.battfinder.com/MarineRV

Ignoring the ones that have the circular cells, are these cranking or not cranking batteries? What tells you that?

There are both physical and chemical differences between DEEP CYCLE and Starting or dual purpose batteries.

The result is the recommended minimum SOC for Deep Cycle is 50 %
Where as for others it is 75 to 85%

ALSO.. 2 weeks ago yesterday I went to start my car. NOTHING. NO lights. No sound NO DING DING DING nothing. I jumped it and went to Auto Zone where they dropped in a brand new battery (Warranty no charge) Did not even test it.> WHY. With a STARTING battery you get to do that one time then it's new battery time. And that was the one time.

With my GC-2's (DEEP CYCLE) I took 'em down to "Steps would not move" and "Lights would not light" like 3 or 4 times over 9 years and they recovered. Oh had I not done that they might have gone 10 years. but they recovered

theoldwizard1 wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Deep cycle lead-acid batteries should not be taken to a lower State of Charge ...

JUST THE OPPOSITE ! TRUE deep cycle batteries, like golf cart batteries, can be taken down to 50% SOC while other batteries (starting or dual purpose) should not be taken below 80% state of charge. Exceeding these recommendation will shorten the life of the battery.

No, either experience the similar degradation relative to the percentage draw down. The difference is deep cycle have more amp-hr available for a similar physical size, so you can draw more amp-hr without reaching the same percentage draw down.

Starting batteries rarely go below 20% because they only get used for a few seconds (to start an engine) before the alternator starts recharging them...hence they rarely get below 80%.

Jimbee wrote:
Our Walmart sells Group 29 Deep cycle batteries, like the type you'd use to run a trolling motor. I've been using their "29DC" batteries for years. I have 2 mounted on my camper and use them for occasional boondocking without any problems. I have one that I bought in 2012 that I use for my trolling motor and it still holds a charge, even when it sits in the garage for months without being used. I do use a better quality charger to top them off when needed, maybe that's why I get good life out of them?

More likely because you do NOT discharge them below 80% SOC !

valhalla360 wrote:
Deep cycle lead-acid batteries should not be taken to a lower State of Charge ...

JUST THE OPPOSITE ! TRUE deep cycle batteries, like golf cart batteries, can be taken down to 50% SOC while other batteries (starting or dual purpose) should not be taken below 80% state of charge. Exceeding these recommendation will shorten the life of the battery.

valhalla360 wrote:
Deep cycle batteries typically have a greater amp-hr rating compared to starting batteries.

TRUE !

True 12V deep cycle batteries are hard to find and expensive. Typically only avail through a golf cart distributor or a solar store. By fat, the best "bang for the buck" is two, commonly available, 6V golf cart batteries.

Our Walmart sells Group 29 Deep cycle batteries, like the type you'd use to run a trolling motor. I've been using their "29DC" batteries for years. I have 2 mounted on my camper and use them for occasional boondocking without any problems. I have one that I bought in 2012 that I use for my trolling motor and it still holds a charge, even when it sits in the garage for months without being used. I do use a better quality charger to top them off when needed, maybe that's why I get good life out of them?

The only true deep cycle batteries sold by Wal-Mart, are if they have 6v golf cart batteries. All their 12v are dual purpose marine batteries, which have a CCC rating. A battery with a CCC rating is not a true deep cycle battery.